Meyer searching for answers as Gators offense struggles

MARK LONGAP Sports Writer

Published Thursday, October 06, 2005

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Florida coach Urban Meyer looks at the scoreboard after Alabama scored a touchdown during the first half of their game at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Saturday Oct. 1, 2005. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

GAINESVILLE -- Florida's offense hardly resembles the innovative, high-scoring machine that carried Utah to an undefeated season in 2004.

Coach Urban Meyer knows why.

"It's not a spread offense right now," Meyer said.

Meyer is vowing to change that after the Gators failed to score a touchdown for the first time since 1992 in a 31-3 loss at Alabama last Saturday.

Meyer plans to use more shovel passes, more option plays and more misdirection -- elements of the spread offense that make it difficult to defend. The 13th-ranked Gators hope to get it worked out against Mississippi State on Saturday, before facing No. 11 LSU and No. 5 Georgia.

"We have not done a great job of using 53 yards, the width of the field," Meyer said. "I think what we've done is kind of squeezed it down because that's how we beat Tennessee -- play great defense, play great field position."

Florida's offense has been mostly ineffective this season. The Gators had a long, fourth-quarter drive to beat Tennessee and scored touchdowns on seven consecutive possessions against lowly Kentucky. But they have done little else.

The loss to Alabama was only the second time in 52 games that one of Meyer's teams had failed to score a touchdown.

Utah averaged 45.3 points and 499.7 yards last season, overwhelmed Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl, finished 12-0 and made Meyer one of the hottest college coaching prospects in recent years.

Florida hired Meyer despite strong overtures from Notre Dame, and high expectations followed -- especially for the offense. Some even labeled Meyer's offense the "Spread 'n' Shred," a takeoff of former coach Steve Spurrier's "Fun 'n' Gun."

But the Gators rank sixth in the SEC in offense (399.2 ypg) and sixth in scoring (28.2 ppg).

"It's really not an effort issue for sure," tight end Tate Casey said. "Guys are trying to get it done. It's just a couple of technique flaws we've got to get sorted out. It definitely frustrates you when you come in and see it on tape. You hear guys talk about it all day, about how bad a game we really played. That wasn't us, though."

Meyer said he tried to mold the offense around its strengths -- Chris Leak throwing downfield passes instead of running the option. But the offensive line hasn't allowed that to happen, struggling on nearly every snap and allowing a league-high 18 sacks.

"It's a lot harder to throw the ball when there's two or three guys in his face," center Mike Degory said.

The running game hasn't pick up the slack, either.

The backs averaged 3.4 yards a carry against Tennessee and Alabama, and none of Florida's runners -- DeShawn Wynn, Skyler Thornton, Markus Manson or Kestahn Moore -- showed as much speed as the Vols' Gerald Riggs or the Tide's Kenneth Darby.

With Florida's protection breaking down and the running game struggling, Alabama primarily used three-man fronts against the Gators. The scheme allowed eight defenders to drop into coverage and virtually eliminated big passing plays.

Meyer expects to see more of that down the road, and the key to beating it is to utilize more facets of the spread-option.

Meyer also would prefer long, clock-consuming drives that keep Florida's thin defense off the field instead of quick strikes.

"How is Florida moving the ball right now? We're taking chunks," Meyer said. "We don't have the style to methodically move it down the field right now. Even that big drive against Tennessee was down-the-field throws."

That has to change for Meyer to rediscover his offense.

"We are more committed than ever that we are going to do more and more what we know how to do," Meyer said.